Northwest Fishing Reports

Ok, this is my first year fishing in Washington and I keep hearing about the "BIG SHAD RUN" at the Bonneville Dam. Just wondering where I should go and what I should use.

I will be fishing from the shore and just need some advice on where to hit and possibly some helpful tips on what I can use other than shad darts.

I'm driving down there in the morning so some quick advice would be awesome.

Much thanks to anyone who can help

you may be a bit late on the shad run...theyre dwindling down pretty fast from what i hear.

when you get to Bonneville Dam, it will become very obvious where you need to be fishing from shore (the crowd of anglers on shore right next to the dam).

When i was there, it seemed like mos tpeople were getting success with shad darts in various colors. I used dick nites and various jigs but nothing really produced. My friends were using shad darts and having some success. We ended up leaving with 6 of them.

Other than shad darts? not quite sure...looks like thats all people use out there.

good luck!

the shad run has really dropped off you will probably have to work hard to get them. shad darts are probably the best but i have heard that some people use large gold swivels those are cheaper also spinners and dick nites. and for where to go i would say just follow the crowds usually there are lots of people there.

hope that helps but it probably wont be as good as you heard it would be some days last year there were over a 100,000 shad going over the dam, compared to 31,000 today

This years shad run has been a near bust. Unless theres still a mega number in the lower river its nearly over at Bonneville. The run this year seemed to have peaked around Memorial Day weekend. From what I've heard the crowds have already given up and there is plenty of room below the dam to fish.
As far as non shad dart (darts are the best) lures you can use a couple of red, orange, chartreuse, or green beads, or combinations of these colors on the leader above a GOLD hook. For some reason gold hooks out catch any other color hook by a huge margin. Use a 3 way swivel, a 4' leader, and a 6" dropper with enough pencil lead to get you close to bottom, not on the bottom as its really snaggy. Cast slightly upstream to help the gear get down, and slowly retrieve. If you are fouling bottom close to shore you need to pick up the rod sooner and retrieve quickly and recast. Keep adjusting your lead until you aren't snagging bottom all the time.

yeah, i was afraid i had missed the run. this guy the other day told me that it was still going but i didn't know.

thanks for the helpful info and saving me from a 2 1/2 hour drive down there. lol

CAN ANYONE GIVE ME A PLACE FRESH OR SALT, WHERE I CAN CATCH SOME FISH????

I go where people tell me, I use what I've read works, and I still can't catch anywhere. I just want to have a good day where I can catch a couple good size fish.